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Abstract
Although many factors affecting a movie's success lie outside a television network's control, on-air promotion is produced by the network and can be utilized to varying degrees of effectiveness. This study measured the impact of 10 promotional variables on broadcast movie ratings by analyzing 813 prime-time promos for 137 televised movies. Results showed how the effectiveness of promotion differed according to a movie's familiarity, popularity, and compatibility. The ratings for made-for-television movies were most affected by the promotion's audience reach, frequency of exposure, and close distance in time to movie airdates; in contrast, theatrical movies aired on television were more affected by promotional reach and the construction of the promotional spot. The findings supported the general salience model of on-air program promotion but also demonstrated that the factors affecting television movie promotion differ markedly from those affecting dramatic and comedy series promotion.
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Notes
Susan Tyler Eastman (Ph.D., Bowling Green State University) is Professor Emerita of Telecommunication, and Nancy C. Schwartz (Ph.D., Indiana University) is a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Telecommunications at Indiana University; Xiaomei Cai (Ph.D., Indiana University) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware. Correspondence to: Susan Tyler Eastman, Department of Telecommunications, 1229 E. Seventh Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-5501, [email protected].